Any one who has braved the Bypass (US158) or the Beach Road (NC12) during the summer months knows all to well that traffic on the Outer Banks is highly unpredictable. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has live traffic cameras and speed detectors online to make the easy life easier! This year, 2 new cameras have been installed at the Hatteras/Ocracoke ferry docks. These new additions will help keep travelers and locals informed 24 hours a day.

Established in 2004, Silicon Travel is a locally based company specializes in internet and advanced technologies specifically applied to the vacation rental industry and currently serves over 2,000 rental properties on the Outer Banks. The Vacation Attendant allows Silicon Travel to remotely diagnose and/or rectify issues in the event that a renter experiences connection problems during their vacation. Guests must simply call the toll free number for the Help Desk, which provides over-the-phone tech support 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Internet is the number one requested amenity for vacation rentals. It is not uncommon for one or more guests staying in a home to work while on vacation, and an interruption in internet service can lead to very upset renters. “Providing tech support for connection issues can not only restore service for guests, but conveys to them that we understand the importance of this amenity to their vacation” says White. “Even when the problem cannot be solved during their stay, guests appreciate our willingness to try and help, which is why we want our guests to have access to professional tech support representatives.”

Vacation Attendant, the next phase in Silicon Travel’s wireless Internet service, also serves as a concierge-style web portal that is accessed by vacationers every time they use any wireless device in their rental property. This new platform assists vacationers in effectively communicating with the rental company, and also connects them with the best businesses in the area. In true concierge fashion, Vacation Attendant is the perfect vacation assistant, and for potential advertisers, a direct advertising opportunity.

Installation began in Spring of 2013 with homes south of Kitty Hawk and was completed in November for Duck and Corolla properties. 2014 will be the first season in which the majority of rentals will feature the Vacation Attendant.